We left early and drove through some very fertile landscapes, biggest surprise was this crop which Leishia correctly identified as cotton:

A closer look:

We were making great time when, just a few kms before Sasan Gir, we saw this sign by a dusty side track and couldn’t resist:

We turned down the track and after a couple of hundred metres came upon a man carrying a 25 litre petrol can. We stopped and gave him a lift to the village. Here he is (on the right) with his son:

The village was small, just a few families, great little houses:

 Grain drying.

The local children all gathered around so we gave them a polo mint each and had friends for life! Then the photo calls started:

 The village boys

 Mummy Sisters?

Chai was produced which they poured directly into saucers for us (my Grandad used to do the same thing!) and the whole village then sat and watched us as we drank it 🙂

After a thoroughly enjoyable visit we got up to leave but the boys wanted a photo with Leishia first:

Then a very pretty girl put on her most alluring pose:

and then we were on our way.

We reached Sasan Gir in good time and found a super hotel. Unfortunately they only had a room for one night so we had lunch and went straight out on a safari.

Sasan Gir is a 1,400 sq. km. sanctuary with a core area which is fully protected. The safari vehicles are not permitted into the fully protected area but fortunately the animals (including the Asiatic lions) come out! We were lucky enough to spot a lot of wildlife:

 Lion food, aka Spotted deer.

 A peacock facing off a spotted deer

This was fascinating to watch, the peacock was displaying and the deer kept charging at it! Eventually the deer backed off and went on his way.

 More lion food. Spot anything?

There’s actually a jackal almost in the centre of the picture. Here he is a little later:

 Langur monkey, part of a large troop

So having seen the lion food we came across this:

 Lion tracks

and, soon after, this:

 A basking male lion

And within a few minutes:

 Two females Another female A young cub A mother with two young

A great end to a great day!

Next stop – Diu on the coast via Veraval.